Heel for boots or shoes.



10.740,1254. PATBNTBD sBPT.29,-19oa.

` -J.G.HALE. n

HEEL PoR -BooTs '0R SHOES.

AYILIOATI'OH FILED APB. l. 1903.` NO MODEL. V

no; 740,124. f.

I" Y Patented `SepternbVer 29, 1903.

, Jennv CLELLAN HALE, or nrgnnnnnnm, Scorrano, estenos To RUDOLPHv 'fr vliIEIliR HOYI SQN, OF LQDON, ENGLAND. I l

HEEL FoRsOo-rs ossHo'Es SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,124, dated september 29. 1903.1 Application led April 1, 1903. Serial Xo. 150,524.' (No model.)

.To all rvhom, it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CLELLAN HALE, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain and Ire# land, residing in Alexandria, Scotland, have invented certain new and useful Improve-v ments 1n Heels for Boots or Shoes, of which the folicwing is a specification. c

. l; y This invention relates to an improved heel for boots and shoes; and it has for its object v ro 'to' construct a composite heel of leather and rubber in such a manner as to avoid the disadvantages attending the employment of heels of this class. lNith these lheels as at present constructed it is found that there isv x 5 considerable difficulty in secu-ring and maintaininga perfect and complete contact between the outer surface of the heel of the boot and the innerface of the supplementary heel; Not only does the aforesaid disadvantage 2o -arise when applying the supplementary heel to a new boot, and consequently when the surface of the heel is more or less flat, but when the heel is applied to anold or worn surface the disadvantage is increased to suchv 2 5 'an extent as to leave'open spaces between the respective parts, which permit the heel to engage withany projection or unevenness of the ground, causiugthe -wearer to trip, and the heelthus becomes a source of danger instead of a protective device. This, in addition to reducing the utility of such heels,'per

mits the entry between the surfaces of dirt or other foreign matter, which destroys the material and further causes discomfort tothe wearer. Further, although an approximately perfect contact is establishedY between' the respective surfaces when new, yet under the wear it is found that the heels have agradaally-increasiug tendency to curl up, leaving A4,0 the boot-heel proper at the outer edges.

It is the object of the present invention to construct a heel of this class in such a manner as to avoid the aforesaid disadvantages by insuring close, firm, and permanent contact between the whole of the respective sur-- faces of the heel and the boot whether the latter be new or worn.

The improved heel consists of'a flat piece of rubber or other elastic or comparatively 5o elastic material of an outline conforming more or less to the outlineof the surface to like is perforated Vor recessed and is backed UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

which it is to be applied; The rubber or the iwith canvas or other like material, the object 9 of which is to limit the expansion of the rubber plate upon the under side. In the opening or cavityis tightly fitted a piece of leather or other substance. The dimensions of thel leather being necessarily somewhat in excess of the dimensions of thecavity destined to receive it tvhen in position, the leather exerts a side pressn re in all directions, which causes the surrounding mater'nl to curvo or belly out-ward. Under these circumstances the surfaces of the heel with the leather in position instead of being flat are respectively coucave and convex, the concave ,surface beingI that presented to the boot-heel.

It is evident that if the boot-heel, as above described, be pressed down upon a dat surface the marginal edges'thereof'will first come into contact with the said dat surface, the area of contact ircreasing as the composite heel is forced a@ t the boot-heel until eventually the two suuaces are pressed together and maintained in close and firm contact. By this means not only is the heel much firmer under the wearers weight, but the entry of foreign matter in the manner previously referred to is prevented and the life of the heel considerably increased.

In order that the invention may be the better understood, drawings are appended, in which- Figures l and 2 illustrate the component members of a heel. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the central portion thereof. Fig. 4 is as'ectional view showing the central portion of the heel ready for insertion in its retaining cavity or recess. Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the action of the central portion of the heel. Figo isa View showing the general appearance of the heel with the central porand provided with a backingr of vcanvas cr vother material c.

d is a piece of leather con forming in 'outline to the outline of the cavity in the leather, but of somewhat greater dimensions, as clearly shoan in Fi". i.

, represents a piste of lrubber perforated at b The wals of the cavity in .the instance referred to laresqnare with theof the rubber will be increased relativelyto that illustrated in Fig. 5.

that of its under surface, the expansion of which is prevented by the canvas backing", and consequently it will assume a curved or bellied` shape, which will increase as the leather is forced home until approximately In the figure referred to the heel is shown as applied to the outer surfaceo a boot-'heel e, to which it is secured by means of nails or the like,f, driven through the leather center, as shown in Figl.-

When placing the central leather plate inposition in order to i usure its proper and complete introduction into the recess, so that the under.` surface, of the said plate bears against theV canvas backing form-ing the bottom of the recess,I.firs-t'place the aforesaid central disk within'the recess and 'push same home as far as it will'go. It will be found that Whateverv the direct pressure exerted upon the central plate when such pressure is redu-ced there will always be a space left between the backing and theV inner face ofthe central plate. In other words, the disk will not beproperly bedded upon the backing. To overcome this, I bend the rubber of the outer plate backward at the point of junction between the edges ofthe recess and the walls of the inner plate. 'llhis not only permitsthe central diskto be bedded upon the backing,

but also when the rubber is permitted to assume its normal position the said central plate will be prevented 'from displacement, and when the heel is nailed in position an eiective and permanent contact will be established between the whole of the surfaces irrespective of the fact that the boot-heel proper may have been considerably worn be-. fore the outer heel was applied.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- Y 1. A boot-heel of the kind specified, comprising a plate of elastic material having a lcentral opening, a backing of fabric secured to said plate and forming a bottom for said opening, and a plate of leather of larger di.` uiensions than said opening and adapted to be placed thereinto. v

2. A boot-heel of the kind specied, comprising a plate of rubber having a central opening, a backing of fabricsecured to .Said plate and forming a bottom for said opening, and a plate of leather of larger dimensions than said opening and adapted to be placed thereinto.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my s hand in the presence of two'witnesses.

Witnesses: A

J. MORRISON Grncmnsr,- J OHN M. LENINDALE.

. JOHN'CLELLAN HALE. I 1" 

